Thrashers top Capitals to regain Southeast Division lead

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Game Information

Arena: Philips Arena Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Referees: ChrisRooney, DeanWarren Linesmen: PierreChampoux, DanSchachte

Attendance: 14,041 (75.7% full)

Team Stat Comparison
234	Goals	239
275	Goals Against	241
67	Power Play Goals	67
82	Power Play Goals Allowed	79
12	Shorthanded Goals	9
14	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	10
1233	Penalty Minutes	1097
15	Average Penalty Minutes	13

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			WAS	ATL
11:26		Slava Kozlov Assists: Marian Hossa	0	1
16:51		Bobby Holik Assists: Eric Boulton	0	2
2ND PERIOD			WAS	ATL
5:27		Alex Ovechkin Assists: Jiri Novotny	1	2
14:30		Keith Tkachuk Assists: Eric Boulton	1	3
3RD PERIOD			WAS	ATL
1:26		Alex Ovechkin (Power Play) Assists: Ben Clymer, Alexander Semin	2	3
9:35		Ilya Kovalchuk Assists: Jon Sim	2	4

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Thrashers are moving closer to their first playoff appearance. Now they're setting their sights on home-ice advantage.

Eric Boulton assisted on goals by Bobby Holik and Keith Tkachuk, and the Thrashers reclaimed first place in the Southeast Division by beating the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Monday night.

Elias Says

Ovechkin Alexander Ovechkin scored his 40th and 41st goals of the season in the Capitals' loss to the Thrashers on Monday. Ovechkin, who scored 52 goals last season, is the ninth player in NHL history to score at least 40 goals in each of his first two NHL seasons. Ovechkin is the second European born-and-trained player to score at least 40 goals in each of his first two seasons, joining Sweden's Kent Nilsson, who had 40 goals for the Flames in 1979-80 and 49 in 1980-81. He's the first player to do it, regardless of nationality, since Eric Lindros had 41 goals in 1992-93 and 44 in 1993-94. • Read more Elias Says.

Slava Kozlov and Ilya Kovalchuk also scored for the Thrashers, who moved two points ahead of Tampa Bay in the division race. Kari Lehtonen stopped 31 shots.

"It's great for our confidence," Boulton said. "Come playoff time, to get home-ice advantage is huge, and for us to gain confidence here is great. It's a great atmosphere here."

Washington dropped its eighth straight and fell to 2-16 in road games since Dec. 26.

Alex Ovechkin scored two goals for the Capitals, giving him seven goals and six assists in seven games against Atlanta this season. In 15 career games against the Thrashers, Ovechkin has 12 goals and 14 assists.

"He has a pretty good record against everybody," Washington coach Glen Hanlon said. "There aren't many teams he's missing out on."

Ovechkin's power-play goal off the skate of Atlanta's Andy Sutton less than 2 minutes into the third period cut the deficit to 3-2. Kovalchuk answered with his 37th goal midway through the period.

"Slowly but surely, we're building home-ice advantage, and it's such a key," Atlanta coach Bob Hartley said.

Ovechkin's first goal of the game in the second period was his 40th of the season. The second-year star is the fourth player in Capitals history with more than one 40-goal season.

"I try to do my best," Ovechkin said. "I play for my team. I'm a scorer."

Ovechkin said he tries to avoid keeping a close watch on his personal stats.

"If I think about it, I don't score," he said.

After Kozlov's goal gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead midway through the opening period, Boulton set up the play of the game.

Boulton stopped a possible breakaway for the Capitals with a steal and then passed the puck to Holik, who had to lunge forward to gather it. While sliding toward the net on his chest, Holik managed to push the puck past goalie Brent Johnson for a 2-0 lead at 16:51.

"When you get a turnover like that, it is nice to make them pay," Boulton said.

Ovechkin's first goal cut Atlanta's lead to 2-1, but Tkachuk answered with his 24th goal of the season. It was his fourth since being traded to the Thrashers by St. Louis on Feb. 25.

With Atlanta leading 3-1, Washington pulled Johnson in favor of Frederic Cassivi.

Johnson, who stopped 12 of 15 shots, hurt himself when trying to make a diving stop on Tkachuk's goal at 14:30 of the second period. Johnson lay face down on the ice for about a minute before struggling to his feet.

"Something like a hamstring or a groin, I am guessing," Hanlon said of the injury.

The Capitals outshot the Thrashers 33-21.

"I didn't think we could play any better," Hanlon said. "We had two or three key mistakes at key moments and they put it in the back of the net."

Game notes
Marian Hossa's assist on Kozlov's goal gave him points in 11 straight games, extending his Thrashers record. He has seven goals and 11 assists in the stretch. ... Kozlov has 300 career goals and 400 career assists. ... Atlanta improved to 5-0-2 against Washington this season. ... The Thrashers had a five-game winning streak snapped with a loss to Florida on Saturday.